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US 2008/0143175 A1Published application
Beam axle system
OwnerRichard Chambers, Fernando Ledesma +1inventors
InventorsRichard Chambers, Fernando Ledesma, James F. Ziech
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An axle system and method of assembling the same includes a center tube and two cast ends for receiving the center tube within a cavity of each cast end. Suspension mounting portions are integrally formed with the cast ends.
Claims19
A beam axle system, comprising:
- a one-piece center tube having a longitudinal axis and a first end portion and a second end portion aligned along said longitudinal axis, each end portion having an outer surface;
- and
- two one-piece integrally formed cast ends each comprising an outboard portion and an inboard portion, said outboard portions each defining an integrally formed king pin support, said inboard portions each defining a cavity aligned with said longitudinal axis, said cavity having a substantially complimentary shape of said center tube outer surface for at least partially radially enclosing said outer surface of said center tube therein, said inboard portions also having suspension mounting portions integrally formed therewith.
A beam axle system, comprising:
- a hollow center tube having a first end portion and a second end portion;
- a first, one piece, integrally formed cast end having an inboard edge located inboard of a spring seat, a suspension control rod bracket and a shock absorber bracket of said first cast end;
- and
- a second, one piece, integrally formed cast end, having an inboard edge located inboard of a spring seat, a suspension control rod bracket, a track rod bracket and a shock absorber bracket of said second cast end;
- wherein said first cast end is attached to said first end portion of said center tube and said second cast end is attached to said second end portion of said center tube.
2 more elements
A method of assembling a front beam axle system, comprising:
- providing a center tube having a first end portion and a second end portion, said end portions aligned along a longitudinal axis of said center tube;
- locating said first end portion within a cavity of an inboard portion of a one-piece, integrally formed first cast end, said cavity being aligned with said longitudinal axis to form a first joint, said first cast end having said inboard portion, an intermediate portion and an outboard portion;
- locating said second end portion within an inboard portion of a cavity of a one-piece, integrally formed second cast end to form a second joint aligned with said longitudinal axis, said second cast end having said inboard portion, an intermediate portion and an outboard portion, said outboard portions of said first end portion and said second end portion being connected to wheel components;
- and
- connecting suspension components to suspension mounting portions of said inboard portions so that loads from said wheel components are substantially exclusively carried by said suspension components and bypass said joints.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.